JOSE MOURINHO has dropped another big hint that Zlatan Ibrahimovic WILL play for Manchester United again.
United have signed Everton hitman Romelu Lukaku for an initial £75million. But Red Devils’ boss Mourinho said he simply had to spend on a new striker because of Ibra’s injury.
And while the Swede, 35, is out of contract he is continuing his rehabilitation work at Carrington — with Mourinho suggesting he will be back as part of the squad within six months.
The United chief said: “We spent big money on a striker because, with strikers, you either spend or you don’t get.
“We spent because of what happened to Zlatan and we cannot allow ourselves to be without an important, strong striker for the first six months of the season.”
Not that it has been all about the money spent out here in the USA during the pre-season.
Because Mourinho has used seven players who have come through the club’s academy and youth teams. They are: Timothy Fosu-Mensah, 19; Demetri Mitchell, 20, Joel Pereira, 21; Andreas Pereira, 21; Scott McTominay, 20 — along with established United academy graduates Marcus Rashford, 19, and Jesse Lingard, 24.
It goes against Mourinho’s label as a manager who does not blood youngsters.
He pointed to Real Madrid’s line up against United in Santa Clara as another example of that. The former Real boss said: “More than half of their team — which is their first team because they were only missing Ronaldo and Ramos — all these guys started with me and had debuts with me.
“They came into the first team with me, trained with me at 15 and 16 years old. Nacho, Casemiro, Calvajal, Morata, Marcello was 20. “So probably in a few years Man United will also have half a dozen of these kids.
“I think Scott McTominay and Demetri Mitchell are also kids to have a future in the club. And Andreas Pereira is back.
“So when the kids are good and have potential, there is no problem.”
From The Sun
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